Business and community members from throughout the Bainbridge College (BC) service area have joined together to organize the BC Division of Continuing Education Advisory Council.

The organizational meeting took place March 11 in the Continuing Education Center on the college campus with representatives from Bainbridge, Blakely, Camilla, Cedar Springs, Colquitt, Donalsonville and Thomasville.

After establishing by-laws, the representatives from the fields of auctioneering, banking, education, insurance, law, law enforcement, manufacturing, nursing, personal enrichment, real estate, retail and service industries elected Charlotte Howard as chair and Mike Walsingham as co-chair.

Advisory Council members include Kevin Angell, Vanessa Arthur, Billy Barber, Doris Carmichael, Evelyn Clay, Gwendolyn Conyers, Lisa Donalson, Gene Dunlap, Paul Fryer, Jim Gisondi, Jeff Gossett, Brenda Howell, Joy Jinks, June Johnson, Tom Mills, Joan Simpson, Barbara Stephens, Sharon Vickers, Jay Wells, Charles White and Shawn Whittaker.

Their next quarterly meeting is set for June 10.

BC Vice President of Academic Affairs Mariam Dittmann welcomed the council members and thanked them for agreeing to serve as advisers and to promote the Continuing Education Division within their communities.

Council members identified their roles to include the responsibility of understanding the mission of the Continuing Education Division as it relates to Bainbridge College and the community, to represent Continuing Education in the community, and to become advocates for lifelong learning.

They will also communicate information about the programs offered and receive information from the public to make Continuing Education a vital resource for the college and for the community, said Continuing Education Division Director Ann Wells, who is from Dothan, Ala.

They also discussed programs related to the different members of the council, outlined future classes, customized training for business and industry, certificate programs, and on-line learning opportunities.

Director Wells charged the council members with the responsibility of conveying information to others in their respective professions and other persons with whom they have contact in the community.

Business and Industry Services Director Gean Hendrix explained how important training for businesses and industries has been and continues to be. He also explained the Work Ready Program that Continuing Education handles and gave statistics about what is needed for a county to be approved as a Work Ready community.